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Fox raises concerns about cost-cutting on backs of Island veterans

Posted|September 3, 2015

CHARLOTTETOWN
–
Borden-Kinkora MLA and Opposition Justice and Public Safety critic Jamie Fox is
raising concerns about the job impact on Island veterans due to a lost
government contract for hospital security services by the
Commissionaires.

Fox made his comments
following news that the Commissionaires have lost a contract with Health PEI for
security services at several Island hospitals in a cost-cutting measure by
Health PEI, displacing 40 positions.

“As a veteran and
former law enforcement official this concerns me. To remove an established,
not-for-profit service provider that largely employs local veterans and former
law enforcement officers sends the wrong message about the value we place on
public service by these individuals. Especially when the annual savings that may
come from this change are so small and come from reduced wages for front line
staff,” says Fox.

Fox questioned why it
took close to eighteen months to award this contract when the original Request
For Proposals (RFP) closed in May 2014. Fox also noted that the new multi-year
contract will now cover Western Hospital in Alberton as well as Prince County
Hospital in Summerside and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown,
impacting two other service providers along with the
Commissionaires.

“According to the
government’s own tender documents price was not the most important criteria used
to judge bids. Yet the justification for this decision was purely as a cost
savings measure. The only place where costs will be saved is from driving down
wages. With a $600 million plus annual health budget you would think there would
be better places to find savings than off the backs of Island veterans and front
line workers,” says Fox.

A new report on the Nova Scotia health system highlights the challenges that the MacLauchlan government’s management of out-of-province health services is having on Island patients and taxpayers. see more